Name: John Even
Address: 1221 East Osborn Road, Phoenix, Arizona, 85014
Telephone: 602-277-7000
Price range: Free 30 Minute Consultation
Rating: 4.9

Free 30 Minute Consultation 602-663-9263

I hope that you and your family have a wonderful Christmas holiday! Before the end of the year, there are two charitable giving opportunities that I wanted to bring to your attention from a tax perspective. First, if you have an IRA and you are interested in giving some of the IRA to charity this year, you can make the distribution directly to your favorite charity (the “IRA charitable rollover”) without paying any income tax. Second, in Arizona, there are at least 3 great tax credits available for contributions made to public schools (the “public school tax credit”), for contributions made to school tuition organizations for scholarships to private schools (the “private school tax credit”), and for contributions made to charitable organizations to support the working poor (the “working poor tax credit”). However, the deadline for most of these opportunities is December 31^st.

How Does the IRA Charitable Rollover Work?

If you are age 70 ½ or older, you may make a tax-free distribution from your IRA for charitable purposes as long as the transfer is made by December 31, 2016. In general, donors age 70 ½ and older may transfer up to $100,000 from their IRA to the charity of their choice (provided that the donated amount is transferred by the IRA trustee directly to the charity), and this distribution is not subject to federal income tax. Although the taxpayer may not claim a charitable deduction for the amount donated, such amount will be excluded from the taxpayer’s gross income and will also be counted towards any required minimum distributions for 2016. However, it is extremely important not to withdraw funds from your IRA prior to making this gift. Instead, talk to a representative from the charity about the proper forms to complete in order to make the gift tax free. However, don’t delay. The deadline is December 31^st.

How Do the Arizona State Tax Credit Contributions Work?

An individual may claim a tax credit for making contributions to a public school located in Arizona for the support of extracurricular activities or the character education programs. The credit is equal to the amount of the contribution, but it cannot exceed $400 for married filing joint filers and $200 for all other filers. Taxpayers claiming this credit will use a Form 322 with their Arizona tax return.

An individual may also claim a tax credit for making a donation to a private school tuition organization for scholarships to private schools. The maximum credit amount that may be taken under this credit in 2016 is $545 for single, unmarried head of household and married filing separate filers and $1,090 for married filing joint filers. The tax credit for contributions made to private school tuition organizations is claimed on the Form 323. In addition, in certain circumstances, an individual may also claim an additional tax credit for contributions for private school scholarships using Form 348.

Finally, the working class poor credit is also available to individuals. This tax credit is equal to the contribution made to a qualified charitable organization up to $400 for a single or head of household taxpayer and up to $800 for married filing joint return taxpayers. Taxpayers claiming this credit will do so on a Form 321.

All of these forms are filed with your Arizona tax return for this year. Moreover, all of these tax credits are also deductible on your federal income tax return for this year. However, to get the most “bang” for your tax-dollar buck, it is best to make your donation by December 31, 2016.

Need help? Please call me today – 602.277.7000

John Even Our firm has helped hundreds of families just like yours handle a wide variety of estate planning, business planning, probate, trust, and elder law issues. When families or business owners are not getting along, we can also handle any disputes and litigation related to their businesses, wills, trusts, guardianships, or conservatorships. Please give me a call, so that I can help you work through these difficult issues with confidence.

By John Even | Published December 22, 2016 | Posted in Estate Planning

Testimonials

"Thank you for my peace of mind, knowing that my estate and medical attention are in place for my children to handle easily. I appreciate your expertise covering areas I was unaware I should address. John and his staff were very professional and efficient in my estate amendment. I highly recommend this office." -Chris February 28, 2025
"One of the best decisions I ever made was selecting John Even to oversee settlement of my mom’s estate/trust. His wisdom and insight on reaching a positive outcome for each family member was priceless. Without his patient encouragement over three years, I would have settled for a bad compromise early on. Each meeting was concise and educational. John only proposed a meeting when necessary, saving our estate thousands of dollars. " -Bradley December 03, 2024
"It was a pleasure to work with Attorney John B. Even and his excellent legal assistant, Emily, and paralegal, Jacqueline. This competent team seamlessly worked to develop our Will and Family Trust. Mr. Even patiently explained each document to us. John is a knowledgeable and compassionate attorney with a deep understanding of the law and a great ability to clearly explain complex legal issues. " -Rita November 22, 2024
"I enjoyed working with him and his team - everybody was delightful, and they made the process very easy. John is warm and friendly, impressively knowledgeable and explained all the details in simple terms for me to understand. I now have peace of mind about how my assets will be distributed and wishes will be carried out and know that my loved ones won't be burdened by debate, hassle, or financial hardship if I ever end up incapacitated." -Mirelle April 18, 2024
"We have known John Even for many years. So, I will say that he was our first choice. I get many advertisements in the mail for trusts and estate planning and at various prices. I called a few of them. We stayed with John for several reasons. He had a flat fee with us. So there was NO chance of getting billed extra hours for this and that. Which is often the cast once you sign on the dotted line. John was very explanatory about the process of setting up a trust, He looked at all our information. our children, accounts, and many things I had never considered. This was what I needed to get clear on the whole process. " -Thomas January 28, 2024
"Attorney Even and his staff are professional, personable, responsive, and clearly expert in the estate planning world. The time spent gathering our information allowed Mr. Even to produce thoughtful, custom documentation that will serve us well. The print and electronic versions of our records that were provided will make maintaining them, and sharing them as appropriate, very easy...a real plus." -Larrh January 24, 2024
"Our Estate Planning journey with John B. Even and his team was a “5 Star” experience! John’s character, values, and knowledge was evident throughout the entire process. John and his team listened carefully to our wishes, and yet, asked great questions to help us collaborate on exactly the right Estate Plan. We would highly recommend John and his team!" -Rob & Terri September 25, 2023
"Once I made my initial call to Mr. Even‘s office I never looked back – great decision! His staff is courteous, caring and efficient. Mr. Even is professional, highly knowledgeable, good listener and adviser. I highly recommend Mr. Even. It is a privilege to have him on my team!" -Trusts & Estates May 14, 2018
"John is an excellent wordsmith, and did a great job of putting my thoughts, ideas, and issues into a clear legal document. I have known and worked with him for 25 years on business issues, including business purchases, of two companies and then selling them for retirement. He is also a delightful person to work with and has an excellent group of to-workers." -Estate Planning May 3, 2018
"He was willing to spend time explaining things." -Estate Planning February 24, 2018

Reviews and Ratings

5.0/5.0

I have known John Even professionally for 20+ years and he displays the highest level of integrity and honesty in serving his clients.

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Marketing Partner
5.0/5.0

He is an excellent attorney, very knowledgeable, and very helpful to the community.

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Managing Partner
5.0/5.0

I have always been very impressed with John as an attorney, but perhaps most importantly, as a really great person of the highest ethics. I highly recommend John for the highest Martindale Hubbell rankings.

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Partner
5.0/5.0

John is a highly competent and ethical attorney working in the area of estate planning. I have worked with Mr. Even on several cases, both on opposite sides and the same side of issues. He is very professional, thorough and fair.

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Partner
5.0/5.0

i would hire this lawyer for my mother

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Managing Partner